blown gasket drivers side headers

[The Car Stereo Company]

so i finally found the issue with the exhaust leak in my truck. the gasket from the block to the headers is blown on the drivers side.
any shortcuts or tips to replacing this? or am i pulling the entire exhaust off to replace this?

 

[EmbDriver]

Oh boy Noah, gotta quit whippin the **** out of the poor girl......I think your going to have to take it appart, but on the bright side you could take the gasket off your girlfriends truck

 

[B E N]

Chances are good you can just loosen up the connection at the collector it and wiggle the old gasket out and the new one in from the top. That's what I would try to start anyway, in fact I wouldn't even get under the truck to loosen that connector until I knew I needed to, I think there is a flex in the crossover and you will be able to do it all from the top.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Hopefully @B E N idea works, otherwise, start soaking the exhaust joints in penetrating oil in case things get tough. Pics of the wrench throwing and bloddy knuckles!

 

[Canuck714]

so i finally found the issue with the exhaust leak in my truck. the gasket from the block to the headers is blown on the drivers side.
any shortcuts or tips to replacing this? or am i pulling the entire exhaust off to replace this?

Are the stock manifold studs still in the head or were they swapped for bolts when headers were added?
If the stock studs were used, I dont think you can just loosen everything and slide a new gasket in from the top!! You will have to pull it out of the way, clean and seal.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

Are the stock manifold studs still in the head or were they swapped for bolts when headers were added?
If the stock studs were used, I dont think you can just loosen everything and slide a new gasket in from the top!! You will have to pull it out of the way, clean and seal.

its all oem still. never added headers or pipes

 

[1BAD454SSv2]

You will have to pull all the bolts from manifold , you can then slide gaskets out and slide new ones it . How rusted are the bolts?